April 2017 Update

A Special Council Meeting will be held on Monday 10 April 2017 at 8.30pm in the Council Chamber located at the Whitehorse Civic Centre, 379-397 Whitehorse Road, Nunawading to consider the future of the Whitehorse Centre. This is a public Council Meeting and all are welcome to attend.

For the latest update please find below a letter from the Mayor, Councillor Denise Massoud on the future of the Whitehorse Centre and an Executive Summary of the issues contained in the 10 April 2017 Council Report on the Whitehorse Centre:

July 2016 Update

Council unanimously voted at its meeting on Monday 18 July to retain the Whitehorse Centre as a key cultural venue in the municipality, rejecting a proposal to close the existing centre.

Council appointed independent company JWS Research to undertake consultation with the community on three options regarding the Whitehorse Centre.

These options were:

Option A – Redevelopment of the Whitehorse Centre based upon the Whitehorse Centre Business Case

Option B – Council to undertake essential works to the existing centre to continue its operation for another 8-10 years before a potential closure of the centre

Option C – The closure of the existing centre within the next two years.

Councillors have made public The Future of the Whitehorse Centre Community Opinion and Research Report outlining the results of a telephone survey across the community and the online and hard copy submissions received addressing preferences for the future of the Whitehorse Centre. The report found there is more support for the complete redevelopment of the Whitehorse Centre (Option A).

Council authorised a detailed facility and site assessment to be undertaken in readiness for a newly elected Council by April 2017. In the interim, urgent repair works will be undertaken to the roof and fire services to keep the centre open until the final outcome is determined by a newly elected Council.